Richmond, Va. (NewsradioWRVA.com) - The Virginia Department of Education reporting that the percentage of schools that met the State Board of Education's accreditation standards entering this school year was 89%, which is a three percent drop from the last time those standards were measured. That was right before the 2019-20 school year, before the pandemic started.
Governor Youngkin put out a statement shortly after the accreditation numbers were released that said that ratings, as a whole, do not reflect, what he calls, the catastrophic learning loss and achievement gaps facing Virginia's students.
He says that Virginia must have the most transparent and accountable education system in the nation and, he says, the current accreditation ratings demonstrate the imperative for change.
To that end, Youngkin says he wants to have his Education Secretary, Aimee Guidera and Jillian Balow, the State Superintendent for Public Instruction design an accreditation and accountability system that provides clear, actionable and timely information. Youngkin says he expects the new system to be in effect for next year's ratings to give a more accurate description of how schools are doing.